Nine books of physick and chirurgery written by that great and learned physitian, Dr Sennertus. The first five being his Institutions of the whole body of physick: the other four of fevers and agues: with their differences, signs, and cures.

Hydragogues and such as evacuate aqueous humours.

THe juice of the root of Flowerdeluce is hot and dry in the third, * 1.1 opens drawes, out thin Choller and water; but for women with Child tis not so safe, because it provokes the months, tis corrected with a little Wine and Cinamon, and Manna, or honey of Roses is added; or decoction of reysins of the Sun, tis given from halfe an Ounce to an Ounce and halfe, or two Ounces.

Gratiola or hedge Hyssop purges by stoole and vomit, * 1.2 but troubles not a little the body, tis corrected with Cina∣mon, Anniseed, Liquorish, tis given in the substance to a Drachme, in decoction from halfe an Ounce to an Ounce.

Elaterium or the juice of wild Cucumbers drawes water and choller out of the Bowels, * 1.3 and happily drawes forth the water of hydropick persons, but it provokes vomit also, gripes the bowels, opens the mouthes of the Veines, and unlesse it be cautiously exhibited doth mischiefe; tis corrected with Tra∣gacanth, Fleawort, Bdellium and Cinamon; in the Dose you must not easily exceed six Graines.

The rine and juice of the root spurge, * 1.4 purgeth and gnaw∣eth powerfully, and therefore is corrected with Bdellium, Tragacanth, Mucilage of Fleawort, Cinamon, Spike, the Dose of the Barke of the Root is from six graines to fifteene graines, but of the milke (or juice) from three graines to eight graines.

Mezereon whose force is fiery, * 1.5 exceeding sharpe, exulcera∣ting, biting, kindling Feavers, dissolving the strength of the heart, and noble parts, and purging choller violently; and Bilous serosities, tis corrected with Sorrel, with the juice of Pomegranates or of Quinces, of Purslan, Mucelage of the seed of Fleabane, the Dose in the substance is from six grains to ten graines, in the decoction from halfe a Drachme to a Drachme.

Dwarfe elder, * 1.6 or Dane wort and elder, the seed and mid∣dle barke, and juice of the root and leaves, draw out water, they are corrected with Cinamon, the Dose of the berries is given to a Drachme, of the barks to two drachms, of the juice

from halfe an ounce to six drachmes.

Soldanella or sea Colewort are the best remedy to draw out water, but tis an enemy to the stomack, * 1.7 tis corrected with Ci∣namon, and Ginger, the Dose is from a drachme to 2. drach∣mes, of the juice to halfe an ounce.

Gummigote purgeth choller and water, * 1.8 and oftentimes cau∣seth vomit, which is prohibited by the addition of the spirit of salt or Mace, the Dose is from five graines to eight graines.

The root of Ialap powerfully and with violence purgeth se∣rous and black humors, tis given from a scruple to 2. scruples. * 1.9

Although each of these do purge single humors, yet some of them do purge other humors also secondarily, Rhubarbe, A∣loes, Cassia, Agarick, Scammony, evacuate choller with Phleagme; Myrobolanes, Chebulae, Lapis Armenius, Lapis La∣zuli, Phlegme and black choller. Sena, Epithymum, Polipodie, black Hellebore, purge choler, Phleame, and Melancholy, the latter Physitians have drawne other medicines into use un∣known to the Ancients, prepared of Venus Mercury and Mars.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Root of O∣rice.
• * 1.2

  Hedge Hy∣sop.
• * 1.3

  Elaterium.
• * 1.4

  Spurge.
• * 1.5

  Mezere∣um.
• * 1.6

  Elder. Dwarfe.
• * 1.7

  Soldanel∣la.
• * 1.8

  Gummi∣gote.
• * 1.9

  Ialap.